What is Thrive Nature Camp?

Campers get all the fun and benefits of Thrive Forest School jam-packed into summer camp!

Your child will love taking nature hikes, creating woodland art, making forest music, crossing logs, climbing trees, splashing in creeks and making new friends! Campers build confidence and spark creativity as they explore their outdoor forest classrooms and other areas of Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve.

Just like Thrive Forest School, summer camp follows a child-led, inquiry-based, exploratory play model. We work with what nature gives us (sun! rain! mud!) and embrace it all with the best of spirits. Our motto is “Your child will come home dirty or your money back!” So far, no refunds have been issued 😉

Thrive Nature Camp 2025 Sessions & Rates

This year we are offering our camp experience in two formats: Half-day, week-long nature camps and part-time afternoon adventure camps (June, July or full summer).

Families enrolling two or more children receive a 10% discount.

Morning Nature Camp: Ages 3 – 10

🌿 Week-long sessions, Monday – Friday from 9:15 – 12:30. Register for one week or multiple weeks!

🌿 7 week-long sessions are available. Sessions start 6/2/25. No camp over the week of July 4th.

🌿 Cost: $210 per week + KY sales tax.

🌿 Campers are grouped by age, 3-5 years, 6-7 years, 8-10 years, etc.

🌿 Campers are assigned to a group of 12 children and 2 educators for a 6:1 ratio.

🌿 Mornings are spent taking nature hikes, exploring our 1-acre forest classrooms, playing outdoors in all weather with friends, and visiting some favorite spots at Creasey Mahan such as our frog pond, waterfall, Rockasaurus natural playscape and more!

Afternoon Adventure Camp: Ages 6 – 11

🌿 Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:00 – 5:00.

🌿 Month-long sessions. Register for June or July. Register for the full summer and receive a 10% discount!

🌿 Cost by month: June (8 sessions) – $275 + KY sales tax. July (6 sessions) – $206 + KY sales tax.

🌿 Cost for full summer: $433 (14 sessions)

🌿 Campers are in a mixed-aged group with elementary-aged students ages 6 – 11.

🌿 Campers are assigned to a group of 14 children and 2 educators for a 7:1 ratio.

🌿 Modeled after our morning nature camps, and elevated for older campers! Hiking, climbing, splashing, lessons with tools, and other forest adventures under the guidance of our expert educators.

FAQs

What is the age range of students at Thrive Nature Camp? Thrive Nature Camp is developmentally appropriate for children ages 3 – 11 (generally children who are beginning preschool through exiting 5th grade). Campers are placed in groups with peers of similar ages/grade levels (for example, 3-5 years, 6-7 years, 8-10 years, etc.). For our youngest campers, we ask that all children be potty proficient by the first day of camp. If your child falls outside the above age range, and you feel they would be a good candidate for camp, please email Laura@KYNaturePreserve.org.

How many campers will be in my child’s group? Morning camps are broken into groups of 12 children based on their age/grade level. Each class has 2 educators assigned to maintain a ratio of 6:1. Afternoon Adventure Camp maintains a 7:1 ratio with 14 students and 2 educators in each group.

Are the educators background checked? All educators must pass a background check and are CPR and First Aid certified.

What does a typical day look like at nature camp? Our mornings are spent hiking, exploring forest classrooms, working with tools, and visiting areas of Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve (our frog pond, woodland garden, meadows, waterfall, natural playground, etc.). We follow a loosely structured schedule that includes a hike, morning circle, play/exploration, snack and story time, and a closing circle.

What happens if my child gets put on a waitlist?  We will notify you via email if a spot opens up for your waitlisted session and you will have 48 hours to register before we pass the spot onto another family. If you are registering multiple children, we will do our best to prioritize putting siblings in the same week’s session pending availability.

Can we submit friend requests? Yes! You will be asked this in your child’s registration form. We will do our best to accommodate (but do not guarantee) friend requests.

What happens if I need to cancel my child’s session? Written notice of your cancellation must be submitted to laura@kynaturepreserve.org. If you cancel up to two weeks before your scheduled session(s) begins, you will be given a refund less the $50 non-refundable deposit. If you cancel after 11:59 PM on the Sunday two weeks prior to your session start date, no refund will be issued.

What happens if I want to switch my child’s session to another? In the event you want to switch your registered session to another, please email Laura@KYNaturePreserve.org. If administration is able to accommodate the change, a $20 (+6% sales tax) session switch fee will be added to your account balance.

Where can I learn more about Thrive Nature School programming? Check out our website HERE and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to email Laura@KYNaturePreserve.org or call the office at (502) 228-4362.